Celosia plant named ‘Zancetopicpaa’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Celosia  plant named ‘Zancetopicpaa’, characterized by its compact and upright plant habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; bright red purple-colored flowers arranged on cristate-type inflorescences; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Celosia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ZANCETOPICPAA’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Celosia Plant Named ‘ZANCETOPICROSE’ U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/694,215.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Celosia plant, botanically known as Celosia hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Zancetopicpaa’.

The new Celosia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hillegom, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and uniform Celosia plants with attractive flower coloration.

The new Celosia plant originated from an open-pollination in September, 2008 in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of Celosia hybrida identified as code number 03-0019-01, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Celosia hybrida as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Celosia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands on May 18, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Celosia plant by cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands since Jun. 22, 2009 has shown that the unique features of this new Celosia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Celosia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Zancetopicpaa’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Zancetopicpaa’ as a new and Celosia plant:

-   -   1. Compact and upright plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Bright red purple-colored flowers arranged on cristate-type         inflorescences.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Celosia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Celosia are more freely branching than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Celosia and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have pinkish purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Celosia can also be compared to plants of Celosia hybrida ‘Zancetopicrose’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/694,215. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Celosia and ‘Zancetopicrose’ differed primarily in flower color.

Plants of the new Celosia can be compared to plants of Celosia argentea ‘Zancelpi’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,300. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Celosia and ‘Zancelpi’ differed primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Celosia were more compact than plants of         ‘Zancelpi’.     -   2. Plants of the new Celosia and ‘Zancelpi’ differed slightly in         flower color.

Plants of the new Celosia can also be compared to plants of Celosia hybrida ‘Zancetopicpur’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Celosia and ‘Zancetopicpur’ differed primarily in flower color as plants of ‘Zancetopicpur’ had purple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Celosia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Celosia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Zancetopicpaa’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering stem and upper surfaces of typical developing and fully expanded leaves of ‘Zancetopicpaa’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring in 9-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 22° C. Plants were pinched one time about 2.5 weeks after planting and were ten weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Celosia hybrida ‘Zancetopicpaa’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Celosia             hybrida identified as code number 03-0019-01, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Celosia             hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate and develop roots, summer.—About 12 days at             temperatures about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; close to 199D in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Herbaceous annual typically             grown as a potted plant; compact and upright plant habit;             freely branching habit with about six lateral branches             developing per plant; moderately vigorous.         -   Plant height.—About 25 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 24 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 23 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Internode length: About 2 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 65C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; simple.         -   Length.—About 9 cm to 13 cm.         -   Width.—About 3 cm to 5.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate to elliptic.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; main vein,             close to N167D; lateral veins, close to 137A. Fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A; main vein, close to             147C; lateral veins, close to 138A.         -   Petiole length.—About 2 cm to 3 cm.         -   Petiole diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Petiole color, upper surface.—Close to N167D.         -   Petiole color, lower surface.—Close to 147C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single elliptical flowers             arranged in terminal and axillary spikes; cristate-type             inflorescences; flowers face mostly upright; freely             flowering habit, about 80 to 200 flowers per inflorescence             and about 6,500 flowers developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about six             weeks after planting; in the garden, plants flower             continuously during the summer in The Netherlands.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences last about two             months on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 4 cm to 6.5 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 2.5 cm to 4.5 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Flower depth.—About 6 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Shape: Elliptic. Color: Close to 158D.         -   Petals.—None observed.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five. Length: About 4             mm to 5 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:             Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and             fully opened, upper surface: Close to 158D; color does not             fade with development. When opening and fully opened, lower             surface: Close to N74B; color does not fade with             development. Prophylls: Towards the apex, close to N74A;             towards the base, close to N74B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle:             About 45° from vertical. Strength: Weak; flexible. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 186C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             five. Filament length: About 4 mm. Filament color: Close to             N74B. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color: Close to             158D. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 156D.             Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             5 mm. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color: Close to N74A.             Stigma color: Close to N74A. Ovary color: Close to 186D.         -   Seeds.—Length: About 1.5 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Color:             Close to 202A. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Celosia have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Celosia     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Celosia have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to 35° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Celosia plant named ‘Zancetopicpaa’ as illustrated and described. 